About OVPR

Policies, Regulations, and Compliance

Training

Information for Businesses

Funding and Opportunities

Colleges, Centers, and Institutes

Communications

Forms and Electronic Tools  

The Graduate School

Postdoctoral Affairs

Experts@Minnesota

Electronic Grants Management System (EGMS)

Academic Health Center Research

UM-Crookston Research

UM-Duluth Research

UM-Morris Research

Minnesota Futures Grant Program

Building on the success of its inaugural year, the OVPR is pleased to announce a second round of the Minnesota Futures Grant Program in 2008-2009

The Office of the Vice President for Research (OVPR) promotes and supports research and scholarship that will result in new knowledge and discoveries that benefit Minnesota and the world. In order to mobilize the potential for interdisciplinary action embedded within the University of Minnesota, the OVPR announces an internal grant program, the Minnesota Futures, to help convert the ideas of researchers into new pathways of discovery.

The National Academies has stated that “fostering opportunities for researchers to cross disciplinary and professional boundaries is of paramount importance to scientific progress. Today’s extraordinary societal challenges call for reaching beyond the established patterns and organization of the research community.” In order to help propel research and scholarship beyond the ordinary, the OVPR is pleased to announce the Minnesota Futures Grant Program. Modeled on the successful National Academies “Keck Futures Initiative,” the Minnesota Futures Grant Program will consist of two phases:

Phase 1 is a call for proposals to develop and convene interdisciplinary symposia around research questions of current significance which are engaging to multiple disciplines. The purpose of the symposia is to encourage development of interdisciplinary research proposals that will be submitted as part of Phase 2 of the program. Three awards, providing up to $25,000 each to support a symposium, will be made in Phase 1. Symposia are expected to be open events, not invitation only, designed to attract engaged discussion by a large number of researchers. Details about the program, eligibility, evaluation criteria, and application instructions follow below.

Phase 2 will be a call for interdisciplinary research proposals that originate from symposia. Up to three awards of $250,000 each are planned. More information on this phase will be available at the time the symposia are selected. Participants of the Phase 1 symposia will be eligible to serve as principal investigators for phase 2 funding. 

Objective: To nurture interdisciplinary ideas or methodologies to a point where they are ready for and attractive to external funding. This program intends to underwrite the costs of converting ideas into viable research questions to enable faculty members to respond collaboratively and boldly to emerging opportunities in interdisciplinary research.

General eligibility: All faculty members and others otherwise eligible to serve as principal investigators, per the Board of Regents policy Submitting and Accepting Sponsored Projects:

http://www1.umn.edu/regents/policies/administrative/Submit-Accept_Projects.html.

Phase 1: Symposia Competition

Due date for application: May 23, 2008

Tentative award date: June 30, 2008

Tentative project start date: July 15, 2008

Tentative symposium date: not later than January 31, 2009

Project completion: not later than February 28, 2009

Program Description

Successful interdisciplinary efforts require more than great ideas. They require time and attention to foster the cooperative spirit and engage in exploration of the research question. Collaboration often starts by bringing colleagues together for an exchange of ideas, continues through participation in active discussion, and culminates in the development of research projects and proposals.

Besides the extra coordination inherent in any collaboration, interdisciplinary initiatives often face additional barriers related to different research traditions, disciplinary specialization, and divergent disciplinary cultures. These barriers must be surmounted to facilitate progress. Effective communication among individuals who work in different professional worlds is a matter not just of effort, but also of intensity and depth.

To accelerate this process and facilitate interaction and communication, the Minnesota Futures model will bring together individuals from diverse disciplines to explore a single topic of interest to all. Out of an intensive period of engaged learning and discussion comes new perspectives and directions to challenge the routine and established methods of inquiry.

Minnesota Futures: Phase 1, Symposium is a call to propose an interdisciplinary symposium around a topic of current research significance identified by the investigator(s). The symposium should involve scholars from diverse disciplines. The design and format of the symposium should encourage communication and discussion that formulates new research questions or promotes new ways to address existing research questions.

Proposal Narrative

The Proposal Narrative should include the following:

• Description of the topic of the symposium

• Multiple disciplines that will be included and the contribution expected from that particular discipline or field

• Scholars from each of the disciplines that would be invited and the particular knowledge they are expected to contribute

• Other experts or individuals that might be necessary to lead or facilitate the symposium, and why their expertise is needed

• Why the team designing the symposium is uniquely qualified to undertake this topic

• Explanation of the significance of the preliminary research topic relative to the potential for future interdisciplinary funding

• Organizational details, such as any pre-symposium work that might be required; a plan to sustain promising discussions for a short period of time while proposals are being developed for phase 2; and a timeline for the design and target date(s) of the symposium

Other Requirements

• The principal investigator(s) must be from the University of Minnesota, but

  participation by members of interested communities and organizations outside the University, including other institutions of higher education, is strongly encouraged.

• The time line for organizing a high quality, well attended symposium should be ambitious, but attainable. Symposia are expected to be open events, not invitation only, designed to attract engaged discussion by a large number of researchers from diverse disciplines.

• The symposium should be held in time to meet the proposed funding dates and other milestones for Phase 2 of the Program as listed below.

• Evidence of interest and willingness to participate by key presenters at the symposium should be part of the Phase 1 proposal package.

• Evidence of interest from non-traditional fields for collaboration from within the University of Minnesota or other universities or community partners.

Selection Criteria

Symposium proposals will be evaluated by peer review using the following criteria:

• The significance of the symposium theme;

• The opportunity for interdisciplinary participation;

• The breadth of disciplines and communities involved;

• Originality and impact of the idea;

• The quality of proposed symposium (for example: speakers, format); and

• The potential for future funding opportunities.
  

Budget Information

Allowable expenses for the symposium include costs for meeting space, faculty salaries (with justification), staff support to arrange for meetings and prepare materials, web, teleconference and other costs of ongoing communication, support for graduate assistants, honoraria for speakers, and travel expenses. General use equipment or supplies including computers, books, and subscriptions are not allowable.

Application

The application must include:

1. The Cover Page (download template)
2. The proposal narrative of the planning and symposium (not to exceed six pages)
3. A single page budget (use of EGMS budget prep is encouraged)
   • No indirect costs will be paid.
   • Support from other sources, if any, must be disclosed and explained in the budget
4. Supporting letters or emails to meet “other requirements” above
5. Bio-sketches of key collaborators (two pages each)
6. Completed Proposal Routing Form:

• Insert as funding source in item numbers 1 & 6

  Minnesota Futures Grant Program

  Vice President for Research

  420 Johnston Hall

Submission Process  

Please send your proposal (items 1 – 5 above) as a single PDF document, via e-mail using MN Futures Grant in the Subject line to Peggy Sundermeyer, sunde005@umn.edu, on or before May 23, 2008. The PRF should be routed electronically to Sponsored Projects Administration where it will be forwarded to OVPR, Collaborative Research Services.

Questions?

Contact Peggy Sundermeyer at sunde005@umn.edu or 612-626-7850.

Phase 2: Interdisciplinary Research Proposals

In Phase 2 of the Minnesota Futures program, research proposals designed to address critical issues originating from the Phase 1 call will be solicited and awards of up to $250,000 over two years (up to three awards total) will be made.

Each research team submitting a proposal in Phase 2 must consist of at least two University of Minnesota researchers from discrete disciplines. Additional details, including application process, format, and eligibility and evaluation criteria will be available during Phase 1. 

Proposals for Minnesota Futures Grant Program, Phase 2, will be due on April 6, 2009 with an anticipated award at the end of May, 2009.

Minnesota Futures Grant Program: 2007-08 Awards

Additional information on the Symposia will be provided as it become available.